And it was a handbreadth thick, and the brim thereof was shaped like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
All Commentaries on 1 Kings 7:26 Go To 1 Kings 7
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Two thousand bates. That is, about ten thousand gallons. This was the quantity of water which was usually put into it: but it was capable, if brim-full, of holding three thousand. See 2 Paralipomenon iv. 5, 7. (Challoner)
The batus contained about five gallons. (Worthington)
Some imagine, without grounds, (Calmet) that the measure in Paralipomenon was of a less capacity. (Vallalpand) (Cornelius a Lap ide)
The smaller is called metreta, "measure "after the Greek, as it had no proper name. (Salien)
Instead of a hand's breadth, it is literally, "three ounces "or the fourth part of a Roman foot; which is equivalent to four fingers' (Haydock) breadth, or a "hand's breadth "as the Hebrew tophach implies, or a little above three inches.
Crisped, or "full-blown lily. "The Chaldean supposes it was thus ornamented. Hebrew, "with flowers of lilies "(Calmet) or "roses "Shoshan. (Haydock)
